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" -c. wf'w'AGoNEm HEADUGHT LENS'. APPLICATION FILED MN. I8. 19H3.'

Patented Jvu1y`22, 1919.

CHAUNCEY W. WAGGONER, OF MORGNTQWN,WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WALTER A. JONES, 0F MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

iiiexiei.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHA'UNCEY W. WAG# connu, a citizen of the `United States, uresiding at Morgantown, inthe veoiintyhof Monongalia and State of West Virginia,

lhave invented new and useful Improvements in Headlight-Lenses, of which'the followis a specification.

This invention is.an improved lens of the type employed in connection with headlights, automobile lamps, and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a lens ofthe character referred to,

having means for preventing objectionable and dangerous glare from high powered lamps, suchas are now'in common use. A further object is to provide a lens having means for breaking upthe parallel rays of light from a parabolic r'eilector, and to diffuse the light so that the roadside will be sufficiently illuminated to make night driving safe. A further object is to provide a device constructed to keep most of the rays of light issuing from a parabolic reflector, within a distance of. forty-two inches from the level Croadway in front of the'vehicle to which the lamp is attached.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in.

lie-claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure lis a rear face view of an automobile headlight constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view ,on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a transverse sectional view on the line f 3 3 Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and'' are detail views illustrating different types of prisms which may lie-employed.

Referring to the drawing, the lens 10 con- .sists of a circular body of substantially Hat series .of prisms 11, gradually increase in thickness from the top, of the lens to the midcile of the upper half of the series and ieg, 5.

i' Speciieation of Letters Patent. i Patented July 22, 1919, Application led January 18, 1918. Sera11o.212,482. l I

then gradually decrease in thickness to the middle of the whole series, the arrangement being duplicated in the lower half, as clearly illust-rated in Fig. 2, whereby the upper half and the lower lialfiofthe lens are each yprovided with prisms which are thickest at the middles of the-respective halves and 'thiu nest at the topsand bottoms thereof. V

ln practice, the prisms 11 serve to refract the light coming from a parafbolic reflector, in such a .way as to distribute the light on the road iii front of a vehicle carrying the lamp to which the invent-ion is attached.

lTo further diffuse the light rays for the 'purpose of preventing glare, and also to distribute'a part, of the li'glit to the sides of the roadway, the lens is provided with` a plurality of raised prisms 14, ofa lengthk corresponding substantially to the width of.

the prisms 11.- The prisms 14 are arranged verted, as illustrated in Fig. f1.4 It'rwill be .readily understood that the proportions of the prisms 14 of F ig. l, or of the prisms leta of Fig. 4 may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance thepyraniids may b e made much wider at their bases as indicated at 14h, Or if desired the prisms may be of substantialconical shape as indicated at 1t and 14 in Figs. 6 and 7 respectively.

The advantages' and operation 0f the headlight len's above described will be at once apparent'to thoseskilled in the art to which itappertains. It will be particularly noted that in no ease are the parallel rays from a parabolic'reflector permitted to pass `throiipdi the lens without fleeing refracted either 'downwardly or laterally, thus producing a diffused light without glare.

Having thus explained the natureof the invention7 and described an operativ/e manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of theforms in which it may be made, or all lof the forms of its use, the following is claimed t l. A headlight lens of the character described comprising a trans Ja'en-t body having?)` one surface provided with a plurality of parallel, transversely arranged flat faces inclined with respect to tpe plane of said surface to form prisms sraped to retract rays of light downwardly, and a plurality of vertically disposed rows of relatively small tapered bodies shaped to retract rays of light, laterally, each body being su peri1n.

posed upon and extended across an inclined flat face of the .lens and of a lengtl'i Corresponding to the width of the face upon which it is superimposed, the smaller ends ot' said tapered bodies pointing in the same direction with the ends of the bodies of each row in Contact, said rows of tapered bodies being separated by substantial spaces whereby the greater portion of the light rays are permitted to pass through the lens without perceptilble diffusion or lateral refraction.

2. A headlight lens of the character described comprising a transparent lbody having one surface provided with a plural-ity of parallel transversely arranged flat faces inclined with respect to the plane of said surface to forni prisms shaped to reiract rays of light downwardly, and a plurality of vertically disposed rows of relatively small tapered bodies provided with triangular facets positioned to retract rays of light laterally, each 4body being superimposed upon and extended across an inclined flat face of the lens and of a length corresponding to the width of the face upon which it is superimposed, the smaller ends of said tapered bodies pointing upwardly with the ends of the bodies of each row in cont-act, said rows being separated 'bysubstantial spaees, whereby the greater portion o the light rays are permitted to pass through the lens without perceptible diffusion or lateral refraction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

lVitnesses:

H. W. HUNT, WM, M. SHEAVLY.

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